The field of the invention is photography, and the invention relates more particularly to panoramic cameras of the type useful for taking a picture while being rotated. One such camera is shown in applicant's co-pending patent application, Serial No. 243,517, filed Sept. 12, 1988. Such application discloses a handle which has a shaft connectable to the camera, which shaft is operated by a battery-driven motor. Such handle is useful for many applications, but has the inherent shortcomings of any battery-operated device, namely, the imperfect movement when the battery is about dissipated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a manually operated handle for panoramic cameras.
The present invention is for a manually operated handle for panoramic cameras comprising a handle body having a central opening, which body has a vertical axis. A rotatable, central shaft is held by the handle body, and the axis of the shaft is parallel to the vertical axis of the handle body. An upper portion of the shaft is affixable to a panoramic camera, and the central shaft also has a lower portion. Gear means are affixed to the lower portion of the central shaft and a first one-way clutch contacts the lower portion of the central shaft and is located between the gear means and the upper portion of the central shaft. This first one-way clutch permits the gear means to turn in a first direction to turn the upper portion of the central shaft and to turn in a direction opposite to the first direction freely without turning the upper portion of the central shaft. Rack means are slidably held by the handle body, and the rack means have teeth which mesh with the gear means. The rack means is mounted at a right angle with respect to the central axis of the central shaft. A second one-way clutch is held by the handle body and contacts the upper portion of the central shaft and permits it to turn only in a first direction. The rack may be moved by a trigger affixed thereto or by the turning of a worn gear rotatably held by the rack assembly. When a worm gear is used, preferalby a slidable nut may be moved in and out of contact with the worm gear to permit the resetting of the rack.